Comedian Colin Mochrie performs at Terry Fox Theatre to help youth art program

CBC

Imagine if Colin Mochrie had become a marine biologist like he planned in high school. Luckily, for Whose Line Is It Anyway? fans, Mochrie got dared to try out for a school play in Vancouver, and the rest is history.

"I got my first laugh and from that day on, that was all I wanted," Mochrie told The Early Edition's Rick Cluff.

Scottish-born Canadian Mochrie says the arts have given him a great career and taken him all over the world, and he hopes it can do the same for other youth.

To honour that, Mochrie has become involved with the organization Professional Live Arts for Youth, which provides affordable arts programming for youth in five Metro Vancouver cities.

On Thursday night, Mochrie and his wife, fellow Canadian comedian Deb McGrath, will perform at the Terry Fox Theatre to mark the one-year anniversary of PLAY and raise money for the organization.

'Totally screwed'

Mochrie says he'd be "totally screwed" without the arts.

"I have absolutely no skills," he said. "If this hadn't worked out for me, I have no idea what I would do. I have nothing going for me."

And Mochrie's advice for young people considering a career in live theatre?

"You have to do it because you love it. You'll have some down times, but the up times really make it worth it. Do it as much as you can, whenever you can and don't worry about what other people say."

Colin Mochrie and Deb McGrath will perform on Thursday at 7 p.m. PT at the Terry Fox Theatre in Port Coquitlam, B.C. Tickets are $50 regular or $75 VIP.

To hear the full interview, listen to the audio labelled: Comedian Colin Mochrie to perform at Port Coquitlam